NATURIUM Niacinamide Serum 12% Plus Zinc 2% for dry sensitive skin
Niacinamide
Zinc Pca
Sodium Hyaluronate
Tocopheryl Acetate Vitamin E
GlycerinAverage
- AverageDry Skin Fit
- HighEffectiveness
- ExcellentSafety
Works for dry sensitive skin; other serums fit it better.
This fit is calculated for the concerns frequently associated with dry sensitive skin: flakiness, tightness, redness, fine lines, and wrinkles. For scores and recommendations based on your full skin profile, including your 12D face scan results and any goals or preferences you have, please use the Lovi app.
Page built Nov 8, 2026How the Fit score works
Lovi Assistant explains
- Offers moderate suitability for dry skin as Glycerin and Sodium Hyaluronate provide humectant action, but lacks sufficient emollient ingredients for optimal hydration.
- The presence of Niacinamide and Zinc PCA offers excellent treatment for reducing redness and evening skin tone, though these benefits are mostly supportive for your dry or flaky skin and sensitivity.
- The safety profile is excellent, with no risks of irritation for your dry and sensitive skin due to the absence of harsh ingredients and the presence of soothing components.
How to apply
- Use this PM routine for your evening skincare. Start using the serum 3 times a week and increase to daily use if your skin feels comfortable.
- Apply the serum after cleansing and toner, but right before your moisturizer. This step locks in deep hydration for dry skin.
- Gently press 2-3 drops of the serum into your skin using your palms. Let it absorb completely for a minute ⏱ before applying your next product.
- Since your skin is sensitive, apply the serum on completely dry skin for better tolerance and less irritation.
- Avoid the sensitive eye area during application. Always do a patch test before your first use to ensure your skin reacts well.
People Say
★4.6Overall rating based on 12.5k+ reviewsBased on a very large amount of data, this serum is highly effective for oily and acne-prone skin, with users frequently reporting minimized pores, controlled oil production, and smoother skin texture. Some users, particularly those with sensitive skin, experience irritation, stinging, or breakouts due to the high concentration of niacinamide. A small number of users also noted a sticky residue or saw no visible results.
Highlights
Controls oil Mostly Mentioned
- “great at controlling sebum production”
- “controls the oiliness”
- “reduces oiliness”
Lightweight, absorbs fast Often Mentioned
- “absorbs really fast”
- “lightweight and absorbs quickly”
- “not sticky or heavy on the skin”
Minimizes pores Often Mentioned
- “pores look more minimized on and around my nose”
- “pores look smaller which is really nice”
- “visually refine the complexion”
Smooths texture Often Mentioned
- “skin definitely looks more smooth”
- “texture of this serum is really silky”
- “smooths appearance of fine lines”
Brightens tone Sometimes Noted
- “acne scars have lightened”
- “helps to brighten my skin”
- “even out skin tone”
Causes breakouts Sometimes Noted
- “broke me out so bad”
- “caused breakouts for my skin”
- “bumps are going away”
Too strong Sometimes Noted
- “too strong for my sensitive skin”
- “high concentration... cause irritation”
- “harsh for some people's skin”
Causes irritation Rarely Noted
- “stinging and itching”
- “burning sensation”
- “reaction to it”
No results Rarely Noted
- “haven't seen any improvement”
- “don't necessarily see the difference”
- “didn't do anything for me”
Sticky residue Rarely Noted
- “left such a sticky layer”
- “sticky residue”
- “tacky finish”
Sources: lovi.care, naturium.com, target.com, ulta.com, influenster.com, skinsort.com, and more
Questions and answers
How well does Naturium Niacinamide Serum work for dry sensitive skin?
This serum works moderately well for dry sensitive skin because glycerin and sodium hyaluronate help draw in moisture, though it is unlikely to cause irritation. However, it lacks enough softening ingredients to provide optimal hydration. A product of this type needs rich softening and nourishing ingredients, along with skin barrier support, to keep dry sensitive skin truly comfortable and protected.
Which ingredients make this serum a good fit for dry sensitive skin?
Glycerin and Sodium Hyaluronate help make this serum a fit by pulling in moisture, while Niacinamide and Zinc PCA calm redness without causing irritation. For dry sensitive skin, a product of this type needs rich softening ingredients like ceramides and nourishing oils to lock in hydration and support the skin barrier.
What does Niacinamide do for dry sensitive skin?
Niacinamide helps dry sensitive skin by calming irritation and keeping moisture locked in so your face feels soft and smooth. It works to build up your skin barrier and calm redness while being very gentle and unlikely to cause irritation.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2004International Journal of Pharmaceutics, 2013
What does Zinc PCA do for dry sensitive skin?
Zinc PCA is unlikely to provide the deep moisture and rich comfort that dry sensitive skin needs. A product for this skin type needs soothing ingredients and gentle hydrators to keep the face soft and calm without irritation.
Where does this serum go in a skincare routine for dry sensitive skin?
This serum goes in your evening routine after your toner and before your moisturizer. Putting it in the evening keeps things simple and safer around sun exposure.
Can I use this serum with retinol, and in what order?
You can use this serum with retinol by applying the serum before your retinol product at night. This helps soothe your skin while keeping the risk of irritation low, but this dry skin type needs richer, softening ingredients to provide optimal hydration.
How often should I use this serum?
You can use this serum in your evening routine, applying it after your cleanser and soothing toner and before your moisturizer. It is unlikely to irritate your dry and sensitive skin, but to work best for this skin type, it needs richer softening ingredients for optimal hydration.
Can this serum clog pores, cause breakouts or purging for dry sensitive skin?
This serum is unlikely to irritate dry sensitive skin due to its safe ingredients, but reviewers moderately complain that it can cause breakouts. A product of this type needs enough rich, softening ingredients and soothing hydration to keep dry skin smooth and comfortable.
Is this serum fragrance-free and alcohol-free?
Yes, it has no fragrance and no drying alcohol.
What the research says
A single application of a moisturizing fluid containing hyaluronic acid 1%, glycerin 5%, and Centella asiatica stem cells extract significantly increased skin hydration by 29% and reduced transepidermal water loss at 24 hours compared to baseline and an untreated control site in twenty healthy women.
Clinical, Cosmetic and Investigational Dermatology, 2017Niacinamide significantly decreased hyperpigmentation and increased skin lightness compared with vehicle alone after 4 weeks of use in women by inhibiting melanosome transfer.
The British Journal of Dermatology, 2002Dermatological products containing d-alpha tocopheryl acetate showed non-comedogenic potential with less than a 50% increase in microcomedones in 12 healthy male subjects compared to octyl palmitate.
Contemporary Clinical Trials Communications, 2021Topical post-laser application of human adipocyte-derived mesenchymal stem cell media combined with niacinamide significantly improved wrinkle index, melanin index, patient satisfaction, and investigator esthetic improvement scores compared to vehicle cream in patients with aging skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2021Topical nicotinamide prevented solar-simulated UV-induced immunosuppression in healthy volunteers, and men experienced immunosuppression at solar-simulated UV doses three times lower than those required for women.
The Journal of Investigative Dermatology, 2008Topical 5% niacinamide applied twice daily for 12 weeks reduced fine lines and wrinkles, hyperpigmented spots, red blotchiness, and skin sallowness, and improved skin elasticity compared to vehicle control in 50 female white subjects with facial photoaging.
Dermatologic Surgery, 2005Zinc PCA inhibits UVA-induced matrix metalloproteinase-1 production through suppressed AP-1 activation and enhances type I collagen synthesis by increasing SVCT2 mRNA expression in cultured normal human dermal fibroblasts.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2012Topical application of 0.1% hyaluronic acid formulations of different molecular weights led to significant improvements in skin hydration and elasticity, with low-molecular-weight formulations also significantly reducing wrinkle depth in seventy-six female subjects compared to a vehicle control.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2011Topical application of hyaluronic acid in conjunction with free gingival graft significantly reduced donor site postoperative pain until day 7 compared to normal saline, with no significant differences in graft dimensions or patient satisfaction.
Clinical Oral Investigations, 2022Treatment with a hyaluronic acid-containing mouth rinse or topical gel led to significant lesion reduction, pain relief, and normalization of lesion color in adult patients with minor recurrent aphthous stomatitis, with the gel formulation showing an earlier healing onset at 3 days.
BMC Oral Health, 2019Topical application of an antioxidant serum containing 15% ascorbic acid, 0.5% ferulic acid, and 1% tocopherol prevented particulate matter-induced degradation of extracellular matrix components, inflammation, and oxidative stress in the skin of 15 female volunteers compared to untreated controls.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2025Topical application of an antioxidant mix containing 15% ascorbic acid, 0.5% ferulic acid, and 1% tocopherol prevented PM and UV-induced skin barrier perturbation, lipid peroxidation, inflammatory markers, MMP9 activation, and Type I collagen loss in 15 healthy females compared to untreated exposed skin.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2024A topical antioxidant serum significantly reduced air pollution-induced skin pigmentation and proinflammatory gene expression ex vivo, and improved skin aging signs in 40 healthy adult females after 90 days of daily use.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022The emollient V0034CR significantly reduced TEWL compared to vehicle and vehicle plus glycerol, and significantly increased corneometry scores compared to vehicle and vehicle plus petrolatum in healthy volunteers with dry skin, demonstrating combined barrier function improvement from petrolatum and hydration improvement from glycerol.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2020Ten days of treatment with a cream containing 20% glycerin significantly increased skin hydration measured by corneometer values in 17 healthy volunteers compared to a placebo cream, but showed no influence on transepidermal water loss or skin sensitivity to an irritating surfactant.
International Journal of Cosmetic Science, 2001Niacinamide/glycerin body moisturizers provided better rapid and prolonged improvement of cosmetic xerosis through functional improvement of stratum corneum barrier function compared to no treatment and conventional moisturizers in female subjects.
Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 2012
Why other serums fit dry sensitive skin better
Tocopherol succinate-loaded ethosomal gel increased skin deposition, stability, moisture, and mechanical properties in 13 human subjects compared to a control gel over 12 weeks.
Journal of Cosmetic Dermatology, 2022In 50 participants with sensitive skin, a Ceramide NP C15-containing emollient improved skin barrier function with a significant reduction in transepidermal water loss and induced modest changes in skin microbiota compared to the vehicle.
Skin Pharmacology and Physiology, 2026Hydrogels containing vitamin E-loaded nanostructured lipid carriers exhibited better occlusive properties and long-lasting effects, while vitamin E-loaded nanoemulsions performed a faster skin hydration effect and were selected as more attractive for skin application.
Colloids and Surfaces. B, Biointerfaces, 2019
Ingredients
Water, Niacinamide, Propanediol, Glycerin, Zinc Pca, Polyacrylate Crosspolymer-11, Sodium Hyaluronate, Dimethicone, Caprylyl Glycol, Phenoxyethanol, Xanthan Gum, Potassium Sorbate, Glyceryl Polyacrylate, Tocopheryl Acetate, Hexylene Glycol, Citric Acid
Behind this fit score
Lovi calculates every fit score from the full ingredient list with brand-independent rules our dermatologists and cosmetic chemists build and review, and personalizes every pick with AI trained on the real results of millions of users. Lovi trains its fit score models on a proprietary dataset built from more than 10,000 expert-labeled products and more than 100,000 simulated examples, following an internally consistent methodology presented at Cosmoprof, AMWC, and Skin of Color Update.
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Co-founder, Medical Director
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetologist, aesthetic products developer
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Co-founder, CEO and CTO
PhD in computer science, 3x US patent holder, ex-Google, ex-Yandex
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Dr. Sofía Perea Pérez, MD, MSc
Medical Board
Aesthetic medicine practitioner, MSc in Longevity and Anti-Aging Medicine
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Medical Board
Specialist dermatologist, MBBS, MD, IFAAD
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Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, SCS, IFSCC member
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Medical Board, Medical Advisor
Dermatology MD
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Elina Nazarenko, MD
Medical Board
Dermatology and diagnostic consultant
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Victoria Derkova, MS
Medical Board
Cosmetic chemist, cosmetic development technologist
How does it fit your skin?
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